Always wanted to know .. how do they read blood pressure?

[Twiglett]

I've had it taken so many times .. I know the whole systolic / diastolic (sp) stuff but just wondered

the cuff goes on and pumps up .. the numbers on the dial go round and round but I've never really noticed them stop, the nurse / midwife listens

where do the 2 numbers come from?

mears should know this one when she's around.

The top figure (god it's ages since I last listened for a blood pressure! Use machines all the time now) is called the systolic and it is where the pulse is first heard. The bottom figure the diastolic, is where the pulse stops again. You can normally feel your pulse kick in at some point. HTH

the cuff pumps up so the blood is not flowing hence no pulse is heard.

It is slowly released and the first systolic pressure is read when the pulse is first heard again.

The dyastolic pressure is read when the pulse disappears again because there is no pressure on the artery

sorry rubbish at teaching